Police: Hit-And Run Driver Who Fatally Struck Man In Chester County Shouldn’t Have Been On The Road

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Police in Chester County have just arrested 20-year-old man accusing him of being responsible for a fatal hit-and-run. It happened Monday on Boot Road, near Barker Road in East Goshen and claimed the life of an 80-year-old man Ralph Procopio.

“Ralph Procopio and his wife had just left church. They were in route to another family member’s house to prepare for the upcoming holiday,” said Sgt. Ted Lewis with the Westtown East Goshen Police Department.

The elderly man and his wife were parked at a stop sign when Arnaldo Ortiz’s vehicle slammed into their car and another car nearby.

Police say Ortiz got out of his car and ran and shouldn’t have been on the roadway altogether.

“He should not have been driving the vehicle. At the time of the incident his driving privileges had been suspended,” said Lewis.

Credit: CBS3

Authorities hope this arrest gives the victim, his wife and their family some ability to cope with the loss just before the holiday.

“They have a very large family that is scattered throughout the states, all of whom were coming to celebrate the holiday and unfortunately they are going to have a very large vacancy at their holiday table this Thanksgiving,” Lewis said.

Ortiz is being held on $100,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov 28. Right now he is facing charges for having a suspended license and leaving the scene of a crash, but if a toxicology report shows he was under the influence he could face even more severe charges.